A Knife in the Dark
by reddiamondlegend
Summary: A young rogue finds out she's Dragonborn, how will she cope with the fate of the world on her back? Rated M for future violence and other stuff.
1. Escape from Helgen

**12th of Hearthfire, 4E 201 **

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><p>"Fuck," I gasped, my heart had started pumping wildly as I caught sight of the black winged beast that was flying above me. I darted into a nearby bush to avoid being seen. I sat there for a few moments, then the dragon flew away into the mountains, out of sight.<p>

Hadvar soon appeared from inside the cave, I crawled out of the bush, brushing the twigs and leaves out of my tangled black hair as I did.

"That was a dragon," Hadvar said, there was something of confusion in his voice. He looked troubled, I didn't blame him. Helgen had been a state. The smell of death still stuck to the air as I breathed in.

"Indeed it was," I said, almost mockingly although I was still shaking in fear. As I stood up from the dusty ground the wind suddenly got colder, almost as if it was a warning telling us to get as far away from this place as possible. After we caught our breaths we soon began to head down a path which seemed to lead to nowhere, "where are we going?" I asked, dazed.

Hadvar grunted at the question, "Riverwood, not far from here. We could use some help from the locals, we could even get word to the Jarl of Whiterun."

"The Jarl of Whiterun? What would he do? I'm an escaped prisoner remember. He would throw me into the cells!" I exclaimed angrily, I hadn't been in Skyrim that long but I knew I had a reputation with the law here, from stealing and killing. Hadvar had to know that going to the Jarl was a bad idea.

"I don't think so, Knife. He's an honourable man, he would surely reward you." He said, and I shook my head and sighed. They had to get word to someone or else this dragon could return, and Skyrim wasn't ready for a war with the dragons.

"Are you quite sure?" I asked.

"I am, and I also think you should consider putting your sword to good use. After you report to the Jarl you should make your way to Solitude, we could use more soldiers for the Legion," Hadvar said hopefully.

I frowned and stopped walking. I turned to him, almost in disbelief of what he just said. "Are you quite fucking serious?"

Hadvar looked at me, disappointment in his eyes. "Yes, I know this hasn't been...the best experience with the Legion, but we need soldiers like you. The General would be glad to welcome you on our side."

I frowned at his suggestion, "no," I simply stated. The very thought of fighting for the Imperial Legion disgusted me, they had allowed Thalmor to murder innocent worshippers of Talos. Even as a non believer it struck me as a crime, and besides that I was a free woman. I didn't 'serve' anybody. I killed for money, but the people I killed were far from innocent. They were abusers, murderers and slavers and I had no qualms about killing them, never had and never would.

"Please consider the offer, Knife and I'm sorry about what happened today but we need to keep moving. This is no time to fight over politics."

Nodding in agreement, I continued walking down the path. I stared up at the mountains, hoping that the dragon wouldn't return. I still was in shock from the attack, the dragon had been so fierce, so quick and so brutal. Fire had claimed soldiers and prisoners, I could still see their charred faces in the scorching fire. I almost was sick thinking about it.

After a long while of traveling the path, we stopped at an open gate to a village, small and quaint. Nobody seemed to notice as we entered the streets. I turned to look at an old woman and a young man, they appeared to be arguing.

"I saw a dragon, Sven! I did!" The old woman shrieked.

The man looked tired and sighed in annoyance, "no you didn't mother, now please go back inside. You're causing a scene."

I walked towards the scene and put my hand up trying to get attention from the two, they both looked up at me. "I saw a dragon. A huge black one. Your mother speaks the truth."

The young man turned, "did you now?" He smirked, I raised an eyebrow and narrowed my eyes at him.

"Yes, actually. I did," I said, annoyed, the man seemed to be a cocky sort of person which I didn't particularly like.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to go looking for this dragon myself," he laughed.

"That wouldn't be wise, it killed almost everybody up at Helgen, and besides it's gone now."

"Helgen?" The man gasped, his smile fading.

"It's in ruin," Hadvar cut in, his face solem with something of guilt.

The old woman shook her head and covered her face in grief, "I need to lie down, Sven. I..."

"It's okay mother, go inside now." As the woman did what she was told, Sven put a hand on his forehead and sighed. "I had an uncle in Helgen, you see and if these rumours are true..."

"I'm sorry," Hadvar said flatly.  
>"It's fine, I just...I need to go..." And with that the young man turned and entered his house. I looked to the ground, feeling guilty. Hadvar tapped my shoulder and I looked up. "You need to go, now."<p>

"To Whiterun? How far is it?"  
>"Not far, just down from there," Hadvar said, pointing down the street to a bridge above a waterfall, "you'll get there soon enough."<p>

"Thank you," I said, almost as an apology for my harsh words up at the cave.

"I should be thanking you," he said, "I hope we see each other again, even if you don't join the Legion, I'll always be in Solitude if you need me."

I nodded, almost sentimentally, his fingers touched my hand and I smiled. "Goodbye," I said and turned to walk down the street, I heard him call out the same. I suddenly realized this was not going to be an easy journey but I had to make it anyway. I unsheathed my sword for any lurking enemies as I trailed down the road. The sky had turned a different shade of blue since Helgen, there was no smoke in the sky, only clouds and the sun. I smiled, maybe we would be okay after all.


	2. Dragonsreach

**12th of Hearthfire, 4E 201 **

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><p>As I made my way down the long path to Whiterun I couldn't help but note how calm everyone looked, I wondered if anybody else except me and that old woman had seen the dragon. <em>They must have, <em>I thought it had flew this way over the mountains...maybe I was wrong.

When I reached Whiterun I was stopped by four tall guards, I couldn't see their faces though, they wore steel helmets that covered them. They stopped me as I was about to enter. "Now where have I see you before?"

I stopped abruptly, looking up at their steel covered faces, "nowhere in particular I should think." I paced around the entrance of Whiterun angrily. _Damn guards..._

"I've definitely seen you before...a tavern wench perhaps?" The guard laughed. I cringed.

"Absolutely not. I am a woman of honour, not a _whore. _Now will you please let me into the city?" I asked, faking a smile but as expected the guards didn't buy it.

"No...not a whore. A criminal, I should think. Either way you're no woman of honour."

I sighed. "Listen, I could pay you a hefty amount in gold buy the time I exit Dragonsreach. You see, I'm here about a certain dragon attack..." I trailed off.

"A dragon attack?" One laughed, "don't lie to us, girl. We don't take kindly to those who lie to us." Another guard stepped forward and grabbed me by the shoulder, he leaned forward. "What were you then? A thief, a murderer, or just a plain old city whore..."

I kicked the guard between the legs and dashed on through the city gate and ran through the streets, fast. Suddenly I realised that I had no idea where I was going, so I quickly entered a store and hoped nobody had noticed my entrance. Upon entering I came face to face with a short breton, I swallowed hard.

"You look scared, my dear. Not running from guards are you?" The man joked, and my eyes widened in fear.

"I...I need to... hide," I stuttered as I looked out a window in fear of the guards looking for me.

"I don't hide criminals in my shop, girl. Buy something or leave," the breton spat.

I cringed at his words, "okay, then I just need some directions to Dragonsreach."

The man raised an eyebrow, "I would be willing to provide that information for, oh I don't know, fifty gold pieces."

I reached into my pocket, desperately trying to fish out my purse of gold, "here take it all," I said as I tossed him the gold, "now where is Dragonsreach?"

He picked up the purse and looked through it, then grinned up at me. "Just up there, up from those steps to that big castle," the breton pointed out the window.

"Thank you," I sighed thankfully, "is there anywhere I can avoid the guards from?" I asked.

"Hmm...your best bet is to cover up, but guards are always suspicious of newcomers..."

The door rattled, and my heart started beating manically. I eyed the door in fear. "It's the city guards, may we come in?" A mans voice called from behind the door, I turned my gaze back to the breton who didn't seem fazed by the ordeal. "Let me hide," I mouthed to him and he nodded, gesturing to a staircase leading to an upstairs.

"Just a moment," the breton called to the guards .

"I'm sorry but we need to come in now," and with that the guards walked through the door. The tallest one had no helmet, I noted. They looked around the room suspiciously, then nodded at the breton. "We are going to check your back entrance and upstairs."

"Of course."

I gasped in fear, then slapped a hand over my mouth to keep quiet but the guards didn't seem to notice. I quickly hid in a wardrobe that I had found upstairs, although it hung open as I could not shut it without a key it had seemed. I could hear the footsteps downstairs as I trembled against the back of the wardrobe, praying that they would not find me. After a short while I could hear the guards make their way upstairs, they floorboards slowly creaked as they finally reached the top of the stairs. "Check that room for the girl, I'll check in at Arcadia's."

Heavy footsteps wandered away while lighter ones approached where I was, I swallowed thickly. _Shit. Fuck. Shit. Fuck, _I silently cursed myself. They were going to find me and I would be thrown into one of their cells. I was fucked. "There's nobody in that room," I heard the guard say.

"Then where is the bitch?" Another said.

"No idea, but we need to find her quickly before she escapes the city. I'm certain I arrested her for a murder a few months back."

_Oh shit, _I thought again, was he talking about...he must have been.

"Lets go," I heard the guard say and I felt relief wash over me, I could hear the other one nod.

When they had left I stumbled out of the wardrobe, shaking in panic. "Girl?" I heard the breton called from downstairs, "they're gone."

"I know, I'm just in shock," I said.

"So," the breton started, "you're wanted for murder?"

I nodded. "Yes, I am and no I will not speak about it with you."

The breton put his hands up in defense, "fine, fine. I don't care anyhow."

I soon left the store, and made my way up to Dragonsreach. I had taken a shawl from the wardrobe I was in and covered my face with it, hiding my black hair. As I approached Dragonsreach a guard approached me, cautiously I backed away. "What's your business with the Jarl?" He asked in a suspicious tone.

"I have news about an attack, but I would only speak to the Jarl about it," I said quietly.

"Very well," the guard said as he opened the door to the keep. I entered hastily, forgetting my task when I saw how beautiful Dragonsreach actually was. I could see a large skull, a dragons skull adorning the back wall, I stared in wonder.

"Who are you?" A woman's voice asked.

"I need to see the Jarl," I answered firmly, not trying to hard to intimidate the tall dark elf.

"I will escort you to him," she said, eyeing me closely. She escorted me past a large table and up a staircase to a hall decorated with swords, shields and bookshelves. "This girl wanted to speak to you, my Jarl." The Jarl glanced over at me, not taking an particular interest in who I was or who I might be.

"What do you want?" He asked in an almost bored tone.

"I have news about a dragon attack, in Helgen," I said.

"A dragon attack?" The Jarl questioned.

"Yes, Helgen is in ruin. It's burnt to the ground."

"We have had no word of any dragon attack, girl."

"That might be because everyone who was there is either dead or had fled the scene."

Everybody looked at each other, eyebrows raised in confusion. "Irileth, what do you make of this?"

"I thought I saw something flying over the mountains earlier..."

"Then we must send troops to Riverwood, lives are at stake if this..._Dragon _comes back."

The dark elf woman nodded, then turned her gaze to me. "The Jarl would thank you for coming forward with this information. It has helped the city greatly."

"Listen, I only came to tell you that we're in danger. I don't need anyone's thanks," I said flatly.

The Jarl nodded. "I will still pay you for the trouble of coming here."

"That I can accept, thank you."

After I was paid, I left Dragonsreach without a single word to the Jarl or the guards. I had no idea where I was going now, but I assumed it wouldn't be very far.

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><p><strong>AN: No clue if I should continue or not, because I know I suck at writing fanfiction. Please comment if I should continue with this storyline or not :3**


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